What are the best water purifiers?

[ra2bach]

I carry some coffee filters with me and filter through that first. even the clearest appearing water leaves residue on this and makes me think I'm saving my filter...

[tb-av]

If these ceramic filters are only used occasionally, is there danger in them being ruined?

Say you used one only every 30 or 60 days. Could the element become damaged or even dangerous to use?

[themonk]

If these ceramic filters are only used occasionally, is there danger in them being ruined?

Say you used one only every 30 or 60 days. Could the element become damaged or even dangerous to use?

No. You don't want to have them be wet and then freeze, as they will crack. But other than that, follow the directions. Generally they will tell you to take the filter element out, clean it and let it dry and then you are good to go.

[tb-av]

Thanks!

[tb-av]

@seriousstudent

You mention a few times to compare purify to filter. I did some reading. Now aren't most of the packable devices filters?

It seems like the "sweetwater" from MSR is a purifier but requires chlorine?

Even the high dollar Katadyne said it's a filter and won't catch virus level. I also looked at the big home Berkey filters and they have a black filter that catches virus level and is considered a purify treatment.

It seems like there is a pro/con for all these things. The Katadyne pocket is expensive and I'm not sure what would need to be field repaired but I suppose o-rings. Perhaps an expensive spare filter could be hauled around too. The MSR stuff has a repair kit but people complain of breaking plastic parts ( not necessarily that particular model, those with plastic pump handles and such )

So if you make your cost / durability decision what exactly are you looking at with regards to purification vs filtration and could you transform any top shelf filter into a purifier by treating the water with a couple drops of chlorine after filtration?

TIA... I'm still a little fuzzy on this.

[SeriousStudent]

@seriousstudent

You mention a few times to compare purify to filter. I did some reading. Now aren't most of the packable devices filters?

It seems like the "sweetwater" from MSR is a purifier but requires chlorine?

Even the high dollar Katadyne said it's a filter and won't catch virus level. I also looked at the big home Berkey filters and they have a black filter that catches virus level and is considered a purify treatment.

It seems like there is a pro/con for all these things. The Katadyne pocket is expensive and I'm not sure what would need to be field repaired but I suppose o-rings. Perhaps an expensive spare filter could be hauled around too. The MSR stuff has a repair kit but people complain of breaking plastic parts ( not necessarily that particular model, those with plastic pump handles and such )

So if you make your cost / durability decision what exactly are you looking at with regards to purification vs filtration and could you transform any top shelf filter into a purifier by treating the water with a couple drops of chlorine after filtration?

TIA... I'm still a little fuzzy on this.

That is what I understand, from the reading that I have done.

I carry two different things in the field. If I am traveling very light, I use the Aqua Mira tablets that are supposed to defeat everything but Rosie O'Donnell's bad looks.

The heavier option is the MSR Waterwork unit I mentioned. I have modified it just a bit, by adding one of the Sweetwater SiltStopper units to it. I also use one if the Sweetwater wire mesh floating intake filters on it.

http://www.cascadedesigns.com/msr/wa...topper/product

http://www.cascadedesigns.com/msr/wa...filter/product


These were the older style units and parts, back when they were an independent company. I got a stupid good deal on the replacement filter parts, and bought a bunch of them. I like the older prefilter unit, since it floated off the bottom, and sucked up less mud.

And if I have to add something like chlorine to the water to disinfect it, I like ra2bach's approach of just carrying a coffee fliter or something very light to get rid of floating impurities or sediment, and then dropping a chlorine tablet or iodine drops in the water.

I hope that helps.

[EricTheRed]

http://www.berkeyproducts.com/filter-vs-purifier.html

Basically filter vs purifier is the degree to which the nastys are removed. Without going back and re reading the entire thread, I can't remember your intended use, but the First Need I mentioned is indeed a purifier, and in a backpackable/BOB size package. It's a touch heavy at about 1lb, which is why many backpackers do not carry it. But it is fully field cleanable including the ability to reverse the stream and backflush, and it purifies a crapload of water before elements need to be changed, so I like it the best.

You also have to consider that (at least in my area) a basic filter is all that is really needed. Pick your water source well in the Rockies and many times you really don't even have to treat.

Personally, for me, if I have to add chlorine/ iodine to water after I filter it, carrying a filter is a waste of time, money, and bag space. Years ago (Don't know if they still do it, but have heard from a rep that they do not) PUR filters had an iodine matrix the H2O ran through at the end of filtration. Seems kinda pointless to me, but it was done because they knew the filters were crap.

As far as pre filtering/screening goes, coffee filters do work good, and you can even wrap them around a device's prefilter to avoid cleaning that out so often. Personally I don't have to use the water with serious floaties in it very often. I typically fill a water bladder or three (Dromedary bag) from the source and carry it to camp, then stick the filter hose (prefilter removed) into the opening and pump from the comfort of camp rather than being hovered over a stream/lake/puddle.

ETA as others have said it does indeed matter where you are. Backpacking in Utah is hell on water filters. The Rockies, not so much. I hiked the AT in '97 and used the first need the whole way without changing the element, just the occasional backflush. It made New Jersey water drinkable, so there's that. But in Utah I typically try to find a spring or seep and I just drink it straight from the ground. After 20 years, knock on wood, I still haven't gotten sick, but I also don't drink from areas horse and cattle prowl. YMMV. I haven't seen a filter yet that will run more than 5 gallons or so of Utah river water without becoming a muddy mess.

[EzGoingKev]

I have a Camelback charcoal filter on my Source bladder -



that is in my SHTF plate carrier.

And was throwing in one of those Sawyer squeeze filter/bladder setups in case I had to fill from a pond/stream/etc.

Is this good or are there better options out there?

[T-Dot]

I was just over training in Bridgeport and we used the Platypus: it's a gravity flow system that makes 4 liters at a time, and was pretty quick about it. Everything packs up small and light too.

As for the camel back hose filters, my understanding is that they will not filter out everything harmful in the water as the filter isn't restrictive enough. I would be sure to check the micron rating on any filter to ensure it meets your needs.

[exkc135driver]

I use a First Need XL (the latest model, the XLE, is a slightly-improved XL) for backpacking and traveling to sketchy places, for one reason: it removes more nasties than a filter (such as the various MSR products) does. The First Need removes viruses, which few (if any) of its competitors do. Coming back from a trip and spending the next few days on the john (or worse, having that happen on a backpacking trip) is not my idea of fun. I also pair it with an MSR SiltStopper to keep green stuff and such out of the filter proper. It's heavier than some, but (especially in heavily-trafficked areas like the Nantahalas and the Smokies where others may -- or may not -- be fastidious about taking a dump well away from water supplies [and I have it on good authority that the bears and other wildlife almost never care what they do near, or in, water sources )] the weight is worth it to me.

By the way, after the first use any filter or purifier will weigh a couple of ounces more than the catalog weight due to entrapped water.

For an emergency situation such as bugging out where light weight and mobility are more important than they are in a backpacking context, a LifeStraw, being much lighter and more compact, is probably a better choice, but like all filters, it doesn't remove viruses.

My First Need, complete with SiltStopper, entrapped water, and sack, weighs 21.0 oz; the catalog weight of a LifeStraw is 2 oz.